I Have Loved Before
by Beautifully Tragik
Summary: Five years after Dorothy, Elphaba returns to Oz, nothing like she was before. The biggest of all changes is one that no one will believe. She is by Galinda again. The question arises: If they loved before, can they love again? Booksical. Prologue up. R&R.


I Have Loved Before

**Title:** I Have Loved Before

**Fandom:** Wicked, musical-verse

**Characters:** Elphaba T & Galinda U

**Summary:** Five years after Dorothy, Elphaba returns to Oz, nothing like she was before. The biggest of all changes being one that no one will believe. She's by Galinda again, and the question arises: If they loved before, can they love again? Musical-verse.

**Rating:** T/PG-13

--

**Author's Note:** Sadly, I have a problem. I seem to write and write and enjoy flashbacks far too much for my own good. So, the opener for this story is a flashback of one of my favorite scenes in the musical (starting a bit before). This is the un-beta-ed preface, but not all of it will be this way. I'm currently looking for a beta, if you are interested please tell me in your COMMENT.

**

* * *

Preface:**

_Anyway  
I fell in love with her today  
I can say I won't let her slip away  
She walks like water falls down  
Her smile won't take awhile  
Anyway  
Fell in love with her today  
You know this is unlike me  
To open and say  
You are all I need, my love, hey….  
- Eliot Morris  
_

It's interesting how easily and suddenly it came to be. One moment, there was loathing, and the next…. She dare not even think its name. But whatever it was, it certainly had to be some kind of growing infliction. It sprung onto Elphaba so abruptly that she had no time to react. It all began the day Fiyero Tiggular came to Shiz. That was the day she noticed something for real, something amiss.

All around her, people whispered of his arrival, spoke dreamily about the many things he had done to earn his scandalacious reputation. No one spoke to her, mind you, but she heard it all the same. Among the gossip and the speculation was talk of an outing, a social gathering of the entire lot of the academy at the Ozdust Ballroom. Being Elphaba Thropp, the leafy vegetable of Shiz, her invitation seemed about as likely as that of a house appearing out of nowhere and crushing someone. She hated the idea of everyone meeting up; even more so upon not being asked to join in.

"It's absurd!" roared Elphaba that evening to her sister, "This silly, rich boy appears and everyone's off to worship him and some cultish social gathering!"

Nessarose, who had been listening perked up, adding, "Even me! I'm going! Isn't it wonderful? Boq was too shy to ask me at first, but once Galinda encouraged him…"

"Galinda?" she repeated to be sure. Since when did Galinda Upland help anyone other than herself? It just did not sound right.

"Don't you dare say another word against her! I'm about to have the first happy night of my life thanks to Galinda. I only wish there was something I could do for her. Please, Elphaba, try to understand," Nessa pleaded.

"I do," Elphaba whispered, just as the door opened.

Galinda stepped through, looking about. Her hands sat behind her back, while an innocent smile played on her face. Elphaba tried to mask the disdain she still felt for the blonde-haired maiden, attempting to include her in the conversation.

"Galinda, listen, Nessa and I were talking about you just now…"

"And I was just talking about you," Galinda announced, pulling a hat out from behind her back, "I thought you might want to wear this hat to the party tonight. It's really, uh, sharp, don't you think? I want you to have it, out of the goodness of my heart."

The hat was then thrust into Elphaba's arms, and the blonde disappeared in an instant. Elphaba stared down at the item, unsure on how to react.

_Did she just give me something? Actually offer it to me?_ Thought Elphaba, _I never saw that coming. Who knew she could do something so… good?_

"Looks like you'll be at the cultish gathering too," Nessa said with a smile.

Elphaba shook her head at the jest, placing the hat down on the bed. She turned back to her sister.

"Let's just get you ready first, okay?"

**- Gelphie -**

Elphaba stood by the doors of the ballroom. Since this would be her very first party, Elphaba wanted to look her absolute best. She had even put on the stupid hat Galinda gave her, just to make sure that she would be stunning. It was time she showed Shiz that Elphaba Thropp was not someone to laugh at. With that thought, she pushed open the grand doors, revealing herself to the group.

The students gasped when they first saw her. Too soon, though, the gasps turned into laughter. Fingers pointed, while girls whispered to their partners. Elphaba bowed her head, removing the hat from atop her curls.

_I should have seen this coming. I can see visions of all sorts of things and I couldn't see this stupid trick coming? They're all trying to break me, trying to get me to leave, even Galinda… especially Galinda._

Elphaba brought her gaze up, catching sight of that very same pink princess standing by Fiyero. Her resolve strengthened at the sight of them. If they thought this would scare her off, they had another thing coming.

She stepped down the stairs, walking down onto the dance floor. Everyone shied away, creating a large space in the center where the green-skinned lady would be separate from the rest. There, she danced.

More whispers came from around.

_"What does she think she's doing?"  
"Who does she think she is?"  
"Doesn't she know there's no music?"_

Elphaba took in a shuttering breath, and continued. She tumbled her arms and shuffled her feet. A little slide here and a ball-change just for the heck of it were thrown in.

A voice louder than the whispers reached her around the third rotation of her strange dance; the almost guilty sounding voice of her roommate - and nemesis - asking, "May I cut in?"

A harsh response was quick on Elphaba's tongue, but she bit it back down. If Galinda wanted to make a fool out of herself as well, then Elphie would let her.

The blonde began moving as Elphie had, albeit hesitantly. She did everything with the same awkwardness as Elphaba. It was laughable, the thought that Galinda could even be awkward and out of place. The bubbly sprite seemed to always be in her cheerful element, no matter the situation. Yet, right then, she wasn't. Maybe that's what prompted Elphaba to join back in, dancing along side Galinda.

As cliché as it sounds, their eyes met in that first dance. Elphaba could never tell what it was exactly, but something changed right then. She felt herself detached from the limbs that were once again in motion. All that she recognized was the blonde's gaze and that familiar oddness that she always felt in Galinda's presence. No longer could she call it loathing. No, there had to be more. It had to be…

Love.

**

* * *

(Okay, it's done now. Comment please. And, if you're interested in betaing, please tell me.)**

* * *

(c) The words are mine. Don't use them, don't steal them. Feel free to compliment 'em in REVIEWs, but don't claim them as your own.


End file.
